Frozen snowflakes
by intellect attracts
Summary: [chap 8 up now] Five years later, Paul is back, eager for revenge. Will Susannah be able to escape his dark clutches of evil...? Please RR!
1. Flakes

**Disclaimer: The setting and plot are mine. Other than that… this belongs to Meg Cabot. That makes me so sad. **

**Rating: T+**

**This is my very first fan-fic. So please be kind when you read it, ok?**

I stood by the window, watching the fluffy snowflakes drift slowly to the ground outside. The old, hollow tree outside was completely covered with snow, and looked somewhat like a giant white broccoli.

The shrill ringing of the phone startled me from my thoughts. Jesse! I thought immediately. I rushed towards my telephone, the one I had gotten from that garage sale several years back, and picked up the receiver like an eager puppy.

"Susannah? Can I come over?" Jesse's voice sounded over the phone.

"Sure. I was just about to call you myself." We exchanged light banter for several minutes, before he left his house.

"See you later. I love you." I replied likewise, and he hung up.

I sat on the couch holding the receiver to my ear, grinning stupidly like a child who had just received a fabulous present. Jesse and I had been going out for the past five years, and the sound of his voice still gave me the warm fuzzies… Then I snapped out of my reverie and made my way up the stairs to get ready for Jesse's arrival. No way was I seeing him looking like I'd just woken up!

Once in my room, I made a beeline for the bathroom to give my hair a quick rinse. I applied some mascara and lip gloss, adding just a touch of rogue. Throwing on a black sweater over my button-down shirt, I slipped into my jeans just as the doorbell rang. I grinned. Great timing!

I ran down the stairs and towards the door, not noticing the wet patch—must have come from that tub of Ben and Jerry's I ate earlier—on the floor. So I slipped and fell, cracking a toenail. _Damn._

"Susannah?" Jesse opened the door and looked down at me, concern in his eyes.

"I slipped. No biggie. But my pedicure… I hope the shop has a warranty. Sheesh!"

I glared at Jesse as he cracked up. I mean, Jesse may be hot and all, but when it comes to understanding a girl's basic needs appearance-wise… He's clueless. Getting up, I ran out the door with Jesse right behind me. A freezing blast of wind hit me as I bent down to pick up some snow. I packed it into a nice round ball and spun around to throw it. It missed horribly and I groaned aloud, just as a huge snowball thunked me in the leg.

The second snowball I threw hit him square in the tummy. I let out a victorious yell and took off; Jesse was right on my tail.

He caught up with me when I tripped over a small dune of snow, and grabbed my arm. Panting slightly, I turned to face him, and immediately got trapped in the soulful depths of his chocolate brown eyes. Time seemed to freeze around us as we gazed into each others' eyes, unable to look away.

Jesse leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips, and my eyes fluttered close. My arms went around his neck and I pulled him towards me. Our lips met with fervour and at the same moment, his arms found their way to my waist, encircling them in a protective embrace. Our passion intensified with each passing second; Jesse's hands started to roam due north.

Jesse pulled away, breathing raggedly. "Let's go inside."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

We emerged from the room a full hour later, grinning wearily.

"I'll get us some juice." I made my way into the kitchen and opened the fridge, always stuffed choc full with food, ranging from fruits, to ice-cream, to honey-baked ham.

And let out a high-pitched scream which would have put even the loudest eagle to shame.

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_I know this chap. is really short, 'cos I my brain kind of froze up halfway and I couldn't think. So… Please review!_


	2. Sleep

**Disclaimer: The plot is mine. The rest, no. **

**Rating: T**

**Jesse-has-the-cute-factor – thanks! The book Should come out soon, I should think, considering it's been out in my country for quite some time already.**

**That-girl-who-likes-dolphins - ) Well, you know…**

**I might not be updating this story after this chapter. And if I do, it won't be until quite some time after this. Sorry! **

I collapsed heavily on the sofa beside Jesse, exhausted. That had so spoilt the mood. Of all things, a body—half rotten!—had tumbled out onto me when I opened the door to the refrigerator. I must admit though, I'm quite proud of that scream I gave, but not of the _reason _I screamed, if you get me.

The police had arrived after we called to report the discovery of the body, and spent what seemed like hours hammering incessant questions at Jesse and I. _When was the last time you checked your refrigerator before you discovered the body? Where were you from then to just now? Did you see, smell or hear anything suspicious?_

Jesse glanced at me. "Do you want to stay over at my house for the time being? There might be some… danger for you here." Worry was etched onto his face.

I smiled slightly, reveling in his obvious fear for my safety. "Sure. Thanks."

Don't get me wrong. I'm entirely capable of taking care of myself. I agreed simply to be with him. I mean, me, scared of some psycho killer on the loose? After all the ghost ass I've kicked? _Puh-lease. _

Jesse and I lay back, too tired to even get up for the short drive to his house, and I curled up contentedly in his arms. We fell asleep soon after, with our hearts beating side by side.

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_Review? Please? It doesn't matter whether it's positive. Or not. Just please RR. _


	3. Cornered

**Ahhh. I've FINALLY got a new chap up. Sorry to have taken so long! Could you all just pretend that the body Susannah found was that of a raped and mutilated victim? I seem to have forgotten to include that. **

**I don't have a plot idea for this story yet, so I'll be taking some time to churn those chapters out. But as soon I get an idea where this is going, they'll be coming much faster. Ok? Enjoy! **

… _and I curled up contentedly in his arms. We fell asleep soon after, with our hearts beating side by side…_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

I woke up with my heart thudding hard and fast inside my ribcage. Small beads of sweat had found their way into my shirt, and let me tell you, it was _way _uncomfortable. Long, dark shadows stretched across the living room, which simply intensified that creepy feeling I was getting.

Jesse had left earlier to prepare for a seminar he was attending that evening, so I was all alone at home. A feeling of immense dread overwhelmed me as I sat there. I glanced around fearfully.

That was when I heard the soft tap. I spun around, heart pounding, and let out an involuntary squeak. Leaning casually against the wall—recently painted lime green— was Paul.

Specifically, Paul Slater, recognized as the Spawn of Satan, quite appropriately, I might add. Though I couldn't help remembering how great he looked with those abs, but that's beside the point. The point is, he's evil. How had he gotten in? He was dressed in faded jeans and a simple polo tee, and his right rested casually on his hip, gripping something that glinted in the fading sunlight…

_Wait_. What did I just say?

Oh, _shit._ Paul had a knife.

My eyes widened as I leaped up and backed away wide-eyed, in what I think was the most embarrassing display of fear EVER to befall me.

"Hi, Suze. Long time no see, huh? Liked my little gift?" Paul sneered.

Huh? His little…? And then I realized.

Oh. My. God. I was dead. The body was someone he had… it was too sick imagine. "You MURDERED someone? I thought you'd changed. You know, turned. Over a new leaf, I mean. And you were really nice on the day of the pro—"

I broke off as Paul stepped towards me and used the flat of the blade of his knife to lift my chin. I was fully backed up against the wall and had nowhere else to hide, or run for that matter. His eyes traveled south and rested on my chest, whereupon his pupils darkened, turning jet black. I shuddered inwardly when he glanced back at my face and pinned me with the sheer vileness of his gaze.

"Well well. Looks like we'll be having some fun, doesn't it?" Paul murmured, running his eyes up and down my form. UGH.

I was still standing stock still, head lifted. Paul smirked evily and removed the knife slowly, dragging it across my skin. I winced as the knife left a thin trail of blood in its wake. Still, I kept my wits and tackled him as soon as the knife was a safe distance away. Actually, _tried_ to tackle him would be a better phrase.

Paul had forseen my move and blocked me with his forearm before bringing his fist to the side of my head, moving with amazing agility. I went down, hard. Oh, Crud, I thought. I'm going to black out.

And with a groan, I let the blackness overwhelm me.

_Please review! Please please please… I know. This is too short, once again. I promise I'll write longer as soon as I get some inspiration._

_Now review!_


	4. Evil running high

**Disclaimer: As before, all characters belong to Meg Cabot. But the plot is mine! YAY!**

**Yips. Yet another chapter out! This has been sitting around collecting dust for some time. But really, I still haven't been able to think of a good overall storyline. Anyone with ideas, please pm/email me, ok? Thanks!**

For the third time that week—the first and second being the aftermath of too much drink—I woke up with a throbbing headache. I sat trussed up on a soft red plush chair nearly twice my size. I lifted my head, grimacing as a sharp pain shot through it, and gasped in surprise when I got a better look at my surroundings.

I was in a room richly decorated in white and gold. Heavy draperies hung across all four adjoining walls, and long strings of white beads dangled down, swaying gently with the breeze from the air conditioner. There was a large king-size bed next to the chair I was seated on; large, fluffy cushions sat plumped up on one end, on top of one of the softest-looking eiderdowns I had ever seen. Predictably, it was in a mix of white and gold, with the exception of an intricate black design sewn onto the quilt.

And lounging comfortably on the bed was Paul. He stared at me, checking me out in a way that made me feel not at all comfortable. It was close to three years since I had last seen him, and then it was only a fleeting glimpse at a reunion party hosted by an ex-classmate.

And the next time I see him, he's a killer? Oh boy. Lucky me.

"Where are we?" I tried to gauge his reaction to my question, hoping he might fumble in trying to cover up.

To my disappointment, he just grinned at me and said, "We're in the Room of Paradise. Which is where you'll be once I'm done with you, let me assure you. But before that…"

His words hung ominously in the air like a canopy of black clouds obscuring what little sunlight might have been shining down on me. I gulped, doing a rather good imitation of Uncle Scrooge's little nephews whenever they encounter big bad monsters. Or evil men, for that matter.

Paul slid slowly off the bed and advanced towards me. Using his knife, he sliced away my bonds and grabbed my arms. I squealed in pain and shock when he pushed—no, _threw_—me down onto the bed with no small amount of roughness.

His icy blue eyes glittered with lust, so intense that they seemed to cut right through me. I stared into them, unable to look away, close to losing my identity in those cold blue irises, as if some spell were winding itself around me, slowly stealing away all air and choking me.

I was so stunned that I didn't even try to resist when Paul leaned over me, casting a shadow over me. But then he moved his head down and his lips met mine. It was grotesque, like kissing blubber or a wet goldfish, especially considering the revolt I felt towards him.

As if sensing my disgust, Paul kissed me more insistently and tried to force my lips to open, which really IS as sick as it sounds. I flailed helplessly, trapped between his upper body and the bed. Just then, Paul made the mistake of relaxing his hold on me. I took immediate advantage of his lapse in attention by squirming out from under him and giving him a vicious backhand across the jaw.

Paul cried out, fell back and let loose a torrent of vulgarities.

Satisfaction flooded through me. Ahah! Not so cool now, are we?

Gripping his jaw in one hand, Paul moved across the bed and made a grab for my arm as I scrambled off. He missed by a mere fraction of an inch, swore again, and I ran. I noticed a door in one corner of the room and ran towards it. It was ornately carved with strange, evil-looking symbols. Not giving them a second thought, I rushed through.

Bad choice.

A long, straight corridor stretched out in front of me, so long that I couldn't make out the end of it. Who knows how far it continued on? However, it was too late to change my mind. I darted through the large doorway and slammed the door close behind me. Then I took a deep breath, hoped for the best, and ran full-out.

Paul crashed through a second later and took off after me.

Two minutes into the chase, my legs were on fire, and I knew I would not be able to go much further. My breathless, muttered prayers had done no good (which, come to think of it, makes sense, considering I'm not a devout Catholic, but where's God when you need him?); Paul was fast closing in on me.

And no, a magical door for me to escape through had NOT appeared out of thin air.

With Paul just seconds away—I could hear him pounding louder and louder down the corridor—I was fast running out of steam. I had nowhere to run, and it wasn't exactly possible to hide. I shuddered to think of what he might do to me if and when he caught me.

I heard a sudden click as I ran unknowingly onto several slabs of marked stone. This was followed by the harsh grating of stone from some unknown place. And all of a sudden, black mist rose up from around me, enveloping me in its thick, suffocating hold. Tendrils curled tantalizingly around my ankles, slowly dragging me down. The air hung heavy and moist around me, and I found it difficult to breathe. The last thing I heard was Paul's shout. "Suze!"

Then I sank to the floor as I drowned in the swirls of unconsciousness. 

_I hope this you all don't mind too much that I actually made Susannah faint again in this chapter. It's just what she has to do. So chill, ok? x) _

_Now review! And I just might post another chapter sometime soon… hahaha. Hope you like this!_


	5. Underground Cavern

**I'm seriously, seriously sorry about this crappy chapter. I've been meaning to read through and edit it but never got onto it. So I apologise for any strange or contradictive stuff I might have put in. And I will probably be stopping production on the story for awhile, since I'll be starting on a new story! ) Sorry to everyone out there!**

**Paul's POV**

Suze was lying motionless on the hard ground, chest rising and falling rhythmically. Several locks of hair had fallen onto her forehead, and her long lashes rested lightly on her cheek. Her moist lips were parted slightly, and short breaths issued forth from between them, leaving small white puffs in the cold air. Her head was tilted to the side, while the rest of her body lay stretched out, graceful even in unconsciousness.

She looked so beautiful, her body ravishing in the dim light, which came from the two spotlights I had installed in the corner of the room the two of us were now in. Suze had unwittingly triggered the disabling of the locking mechanism and lowered herself and myself into the room, specially prepared for her arrival…

Well, she certainly was here ahead of schedule, but I had no objections whatsoever.

I would just have her earlier, then. So much the better for me…

A frown flitted lightly across her forehead and Suze let out a small moan, then sat up. Too quickly, it seems, for she winced and held her head, brows knitted. Then she remembered what had just happened and glanced around in alarm, eyes widening as she took in her surroundings.

She glanced back at me, staring into my eyes. Fear danced within those dark irises of hers, and I fed on it, wallowing in the confirmation that I could so influence and cause another terror.

Suze was panicking now. That much was clear. She glanced around desperately, as if searching for a way out, anything at all.

Ah, so she understood what she had gotten herself into. I would have my way with her. It was just a matter of WHEN…

Susannah's POV 

Oh, shit. I was in seriously hot soup. So much for that praying thing. What with Father Dom's constant reminders and mild chidings, you'd almost believe that it actually worked.

Not.

The point was, I was trapped in this seriously strange room with Slater. The place was more like a huge manmade cavern, complete with steel floor, huge plasma screen in one corner, monitors lined in a row, the works. And the place was _chilly_ as anything. I mean, ever heard of heating? It seemed cold enough to freeze to death in.

Or maybe that was the idea?

_Double shit. _

And in this weakened state of mine following my black-out, I was in no condition to fight off any possible attacks.

Panic slowly built up within me. I glanced fearfully at Paul and gulped audibly. There was no pity to be found that. But then, what had I expected? That he had really changed for the better, had forgiven me in such a short period of time the year Jesse came alive?

I was so stupid to believe him. To trust his words…

I glanced at Paul as he got from his crouching position by the wall and ambled towards me, coolly blowing on his hands to warm them. His eyes never left mine; they pinned me to where I sat, prone on the ground, unable to move. For in them was such iciness, such malice, that my breath was taken away, and all of a sudden, I felt even colder than before.

Dread coursed through my veins and spread across my body, travelling further along my bloodstream with each pump of my heart, paralysing me. I had never been so terrified, not even when I'd been ambushed by the five murderous ghosts.

For Paul was ruthless. After all, anyone who could commit such a heinous act of raping and mutilating a woman beyond recognition and still remain so completely unremorseful could certainly be certified as cruel.

And this time, I would be his victim.

Paul neared me and leered at me, lifting my chin with his cursed fingers. I flinched and backed away, as my heart rate rose to an extraordinarily rapid one. Without batting an eye, Paul continued on.

When he reached me, I spat at him and took several steps back. But this time, Paul, with lightning-quick reflexes, grabbed my lower arm and spun me around, twisting my arm behind me.

I took a sharp breath, and pain contorted my face. Seen with my messed-up hair and the thin line of blood across my neck, which had since congealed, I must have looked hideous.

Hah. Like that was the worst of my problems. Nothing serious really, I just had to escape from a psychotic killer with a huge grudge against me for refusing him a relationship, what, half a decade ago? No biggie.

I struggled and tried to get a leg in to trip him up, but froze instantly when Paul slid the knife out of his pocket. Meekly, I allowed myself to be tied up and led further into the man-made structure. Now submissive, I sat myself quietly in a corner, which was what Paul had instructed me to.

I watched quietly as he approached a huge machine from which a constant droning was sounding. Several bright spots of light dotted its form, and frantic beeping ensued when Paul keyed in something on its panel, then evened out and jingled when he entered yet another string of symbols and letters. I observed all this and knew he unlocking the sliding door I had seen on the opposite side of the chamber, and whatever was on the other side was probably nothing good. However, I made no attempt to sabotage Paul's actions.

Seems like a rather sudden change in attitude? Well, it wasn't just that. I had a PLAN. Yes, a plan. See how intelligent my brain is (for a change) in tense situations?

And so I parked myself there, all smug happiness and uplifted spirits, while trying to keep my face in an expression of fear and trepidation. At least, that was until Paul finished keying in all those codes into the machine, causing the gigantic ice-block-imitation door to slide open.

And reveal an entire legion of ghosts. All my self-satisfaction and mistaken feel of superiority disappeared in the wink of an eye.

_REVIEW! _


	6. Is anyone going to save me?

**_See? _I didn't chuck this story in the trash bin! Really, you have no idea how hard it was for me to write this… And I'm not sure if the rating has to be changed to M… But all that won't matter if you review! Deal? Hehe. I'm having a lot of problems, and anyone with ideas, I'd love it if you pm/email me. I LOVE all you people who've reviewed! in a total non-gay way Really sorry I didn't reply to the reviews before this, so… **

**Sho – LOL. Thanks, anyway. )**

**Sweetly Sarcastic – Me too! Though I have to admit there was some chemistry between him and Suze… But Jesse & Susannah 3 **

**Tris – Wow. I'm bowled over with your flattery. You're awesome, too!**

**Dark and Sinister – Whoopee. Thanks so much! People like you just make my day. I hope you like this chapter too.**

**Is anyone going to save me?**

Okay. Suze, _calm down_. You can deal with this. Take a deep breath. In, out, in, o—oh, screw this. I was dead meat, and I knew it. I glanced towards the area I had woken up in and, to my surprise, saw that a single large panel of ground was at a slightly higher level than the rest of the ground. Perhaps standing on it would lift me back up into the corridor? I filed this discovery away for possible later use, then turned back to Paul and the ghosts.

How the hell had he gotten so many of them, anyway? As far as I knew, all ghosts still retained a mind of their own, so why would they be staying cramped together, apparently under the control of Paul?

…Why weren't they resisting?

Paul barked out an order to the huge mass of ghosts, and in one synchronized motion they turned towards me and stared me down. I felt so lost and forlorn as I gazed back into their eyes, unable to look away. They were so blank, so devoid of all emotion, as if someone or something had stolen away the faint glow of their very last essence of life, the only proof of their sad existence after death.

As if they had no say in their actions, their future. Like zombies come to life…

I shuddered. Paul turned towards me and smirked maliciously. Evil energy crackled in the air and I felt suffocated, weighed down with fear and apprehension as he advanced upon me. The ghosts moved silently in coordinated groups to their posts and stood there, mute guards acting as a prevention of my escape. The panel of uplifted ground was almost completely surrounded, and though it was now obvious where the escape route lay, there was no way I could get past all of them. I hung my head in dejection.

Oh, Jesse… Why did you have to go?

Now I'm stuck in this horrific place, and my life, in all possibility, is at its very end…

I stumbled to my feet when Paul snatched my arm up, practically dragging me across the floor and through the towering doorway. We passed through yet another tall, majestic arch, which stretched so high it seemed to reach the heavens. Only in this place, so deep underground, it might as well have been reaching _up_ to _Hell…_

A golden door swung open as we neared it and Paul moved through, lugging me along. It crashed shut with a slam, a finality of the agony I might soon go through. The sound echoed aimlessly about the walls of the large room we were now in, finally fading away into its dim corners.

The room was identical in size, shape, color and design to the original white-and-gold one, but with one striking difference. Blood was smeared across three out of four walls, the dark red staining its surface to form a terrible shade of black. But worse was the flaming scarlet splatters that turned the floor into a ghastly pattern of red and gold. The horrifying sight left a stark impression on my fast-despairing self, and I found my brain going into overtime once more, churning out grisly images of gruesome, mutilated, naked and bloody bodies lying on the ground at strange angles.

I was thrown onto the king-sized bed, and Paul proceeded to slip his white polo over his head, giving me a full view of his hard abs and tanned chest. The candles in the large chandelier overhead winked at me, flickering very slightly, and I squinted against their bright glow.

Even as Paul unbuckled his belt and dropped his jeans, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, not even bothering to try and figure a way out. I felt so hopeless, and the future looked bleak indeed…

The bed creaked with the extra weight as Paul, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, loomed over me. His towering body made for an imposing figure, and as I lay vulnerable on the bed, he moved so his body covered mine. Acting on instinct, I attempted to squirm away, to no avail. His right hand resting on my left arm, he tilted his head and whispered right into my ear, his breath warm against my cheek.

"Suze, Suze, Suze… How many times have I told you, no one escapes from me? Especially not sexy females who are secretly in love with me…"

He trailed a finger lightly down the side of my breast, my waist, my hip… Eyes glittering hard with lust and desire, his voice was hoarse as he murmured my name. I hit at him futilely with my fists, trying to stop the terror rising in me before it was too late, before it became an uncontrollable wave of panic and turned my brain into a useless lump of gray matter. But my efforts, both physical and mental, were useless…

_**Paul's POV**_

Suze's fists pounded weakly against my chest, but with her strength sapped from the small drug dose I'd given her, she was no match for me. She had no idea how much I'd yearned for her all these years. I'd never forgotten her, merely put on a façade for her benefit. But after all that time of pretence, even one with an iron-strong will can break.

And I had. Broken I mean.

After all this time, she still looked as beautiful as she had before, perhaps even more, impossible as that might sound. Her jeans and shirt clung to her womanly curves, emphasizing her beauty and wondrous body… The perfect match for myself. A union of two gorgeous people.

No, I'm not being egoistical. That's the simple truth. Anyone can see that…

But she'd refused me, chosen instead de Bastardo over me. All this time, I'd let out my anger and frustration out by sleeping with women, then dumping them. What an adrenaline rush it gave me whenever they pleaded with me to stay with them! Complying, then murdering them… gratifying, but, oh, I'd never been fully satisfied.

But not tonight.

Tonight I would go full out… and get paid all that was due to me.

Lowering my head, I crushed her mouth with mine, using my tongue to part her lips forcefully. My palms held her head still when she would have turned away, and a jolt of electricity went through my body when the tips of our tongues touched.

When I finally pulled away, breathing raggedly, it was only to drag her shirt up over her head. She tried to resist and failed, miserably. I fingered her black lace bra in hot anticipation, my hands running like wildfire across her smooth, unblemished skin. Then desire overcame me again and in one swift motion, I ripped the black material off. My lips met hers as my hand came up to cup her left breast. Oh, what ecstasy this was! To finally have the silk-like skin of her soft person under me, for me to touch and lick at my every whim…

Suze slapped my hand away, effectively jerking me out of my reverie. Heaving myself off her, I cupped her chin, tilting her head so it was angled towards my face.

"Don't resist me, Suze. You'll enjoy this, I promise…"

She was breathless from my hard kissing, her lips pink and swollen. My gaze wandered down to her chest. It was a beauty in its own right… And for the millionth time in these past few years, I wondered.

When had she so captivated me? When was it that I had become so infatuated that nothing mattered anymore… except taking her?

Sometimes I hated her, hated _myself_, for letting her do this to me, for allowing her such control over my heart. Yet other times… it was the perfect excuse.

I bent my head down and drew the dark tip of her breast into my mouth, suckling long and hard, rejoicing in her sweet taste, not caring at that moment if I lived or died. I almost couldn't wait to take her, to strip away her jeans, her underwear and mine. The only remaining barriers that prevented me from mating with her.

But I had to show restraint. Paul, Paul… There'll be plenty of time later for being rough. I smiled evilly. I would promise myself that…

_**Suze's POV**_

No, no, this could not be happening…

Paul was going to rape me. That much was obvious, and he was more than ready for it, going by the hardness that was pressing against my tummy. His icy, pale blue eyes gleamed as he moved to straddle me. Hatred, desire, anticipation, lust… All expressed in them. And yet there was more than that.

There was a cold, hardened look about his eyes. The years had simply been fodder, time for him to strengthen himself for this encounter… and lose all compassion. I glanced back at him again. The coldness was still there, ever present…

It pained me. I knew then and there… There would be no escape.

Paul pinned my shoulders against the bedspread. My bare shoulders… He ginned nastily as he moved his mouth to my left nipple, pulling hard. My lips were swollen, my hair tousled. But I couldn't do anything.

So weak…

I was teetering on the edge of a deep pool of cold liquid, where underneath its deceptively calm surface lay a murky swirl of emotions. Anguish, despair, gloom and misery, all churned together.

And I was in danger of falling in…

Then Paul shifted slightly, and I got a glimpse of what was behind him. A gasp and a whisper escaped my lips…

_**Paul's POV**_

"Jesse…" Suze murmured. I looked hard at her and snorted. What did she think that man was, superman? No, Suze was all mine, and this time there would be no Jesse to interfere with my plans…

Footsteps behind me. But I'd instructed those mindless ghouls that there were to be no interruptions…

I spun around.

What the fuck…?

_A cliffie! …Yeah, I hate 'em too… But I'll update soon, if you all review. The longer, the better! Now GET ON IT!_

_Love, Adeline_


	7. Monkey business

**Read Warped, if you find the time. Pretty please? **

**Icicles are hanging in my cranium. Severe case of writer's block. Or laziness, maybe. . . Anyway. **

**I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, yet again. My computer's keyboard has gone haywire. Le sigh. Even electronic devices are turning against me… **

**Well.. enjoy. **

**_Luv Adeline_**

**_p.s. _I want at least 10 reviews! Step it up people. . . Thanks to all who reviewed past chapters, you guys ROCK! **

**m0nkEy busine$$**

_From behind Paul, Jesse hooted loudly as he took several steps back. Reversing direction, he took long strides, building them up into a running jump. His feet seemed to be whirring round and round; they were moving that fast._

_Brown hair flew messily about his face, framing it in a dark-colored halo. His measured steps were bringing him closer to the foot of the bed, a few feet away from where I was standing, staring at him. _

_Pupils concentrated at an upwards angle, Jesse completed his last stride and took a large jump._

_Leaping agilely into the air, his muscles flexed as he grabbed the chandelier, carefully avoiding the melting wax and tall, luminous orange flames. He swung to and fro, hanging precariously from the golden perch. His large hands kept a secure grip on the chandelier. _

_Which was _eight_ feet above the floor._

_How the hell had he gotten so high up, anyway?_

_And he was making chimpanzee-like noises. Not to insult them or anything, but those sounds are NOT attractive. No, not even with Latino hotties like Jesse. _

_He swung himself forward, making use of his momentum to propel himself further… to land, hard, on the ground. _

_Taking Paul down with him. I think I heard something crack when his head came into contact with the floor… _

_HA. Serve him right for being such a jerk. I mean, trying to rape me was just despicab—_

_Oh! I blushed hotly as my gaze dropped to my chest. Oops._

_I scurried towards the bed, grabbed my shirt and pulled it back on, not bothering with my bra. Hello, Paul totally trashed it when he ripped it off me. And I'd only just gotten it from Victoria's Secret a week ago… This was expensive material! He could at least have spared a thought for my friggin' purse before submitting to his _overwhelming_ desire to ravage my—um, a certain part of my body. _

_Jeez._

_I looked back at where Jesse and Paul lay, or rather, where Jesse lay on Paul. And I just gawked. I must have looked like an idiot, what with the whole jaw on floor and all. _

_But I have a good reason. Really. _

_Because Jesse was using his tail—yes, his BROWN, FURRY, MONKEY-LIKE TAIL—to strangle Paul. It wrapped slowly around Paul's neck, looking for all the world like a sinister necklace come alive. _

_Paul's eyes bugged out in horror as it squeezed, the individual veins in his neck standing out with startling clarity. His eyebrows rose high on his forehead, and his face turned red, blue, then purple with the lack of air… _

_Exactly what the bastard deserved._

_Suddenly a shriek spilt the air. _

_It was only later that I realized it had erupted forth from my mouth…_

_Hordes of furry ancestors poured out from the edges of the large room—apes, chimpanzees, chimps, gorillas, orangutans. They seemed to shimmer with an unearthly glow as they melted through the walls. _

_Emitting small yowls and wails—the little ones that is—of hyperactivity and pleasure, they moved right, left, up, down… Bounding, lumbering, and stomping heavily. Strange shades of fur was scattered everywhere. The larger primates staggered around, crashing into the walls and bed, many narrowly missing the spot where Jesse and Paul lay. Then a particularly off-course gorilla lurched forward…_

_And Jesse's head was right in his path. _


	8. Whiteness!

**This may or may not be the last chapter.. I haven't decided if I want to create an epilogue, yet. You think? Anyway, the name Mindy is used in honor of my younger sister, one of the bestest best siblings in the world. Go Mindy! **

**Whiteness**

I must have fallen asleep, because I woke to the strong smell of disinfectant and the feel of starched sheets covering my body. So since I woke up, I must have conked off somehow, right?

The room was totally white—white bed, white table, white walls, white curtains. . . I was getting a headache just looking at them.

Squinting against the glaringity, I glanced around and saw Jesse sleeping at the bedside, slumped against the wall. He looked slightly haggard, and on his chin was three-day old stubble. My eyes softened and I reached out a hand to touch the side of his face.

And then I realized something. He was back to being a human! _(Oh, you DIDN'T think I'd change Jesse into a monkey, did you? Tsk.) _Weird—but good, of course. I supposed I could ask him about it later. . .

The door latch turned and a doctor—I summarized as much from his white clothes and the clipboard he held in one hand—entered the room. He was thirty-odd or so and had a face that probably looked perpetually happy.

He smiled genially when he saw I'd awoken. Beside me, Jesse stirred and awoke.

"Miss Susannah Simon. Are you feeling all right?" I nodded.

"Okay, then. Your boyfriend brought you to the hospital a couple of days ago. High levels of a newly discovered hallucinogenic called Malamolalie (_A/N: I totally do not know drugs. This was made up. Bear with me, will ya? ) _was discovered in your bloodstream, but most has been cleaned up, and the remaining traces will subside naturally over the course of the next few days. You'll be discharged later this afternoon. I hope you have found the facilities here satisfactory."

Nodding slightly at me and Jesse, he turned and left. I could hear the soft sound of his footfalls slowly receding down the corridor as I contemplated what the doctor had just told me.

So THAT was why I'd thought Jesse was a monkey! Whew. That was good. Somehow I had not, and still didn't, fancy the idea of, uh—procreating with a man-sized monkey. Without the creating, I mean.

So.

On an impulse, I leaned forward and slung a arm around Jesse's neck, pulling him down on the bed, on top of me. I kissed him and he responded gently, lovingly, his soft lips pressed against mine.

What started as an innocent kiss soon turned into a full make-out session. Our kiss deepened as Jesse moved his hand to the small of my back, pushing me hard against him. My nipples kind of. . . uh, hardened when they came into contact with his chest, and I sighed as the tip of my tongue touched his, sending a pleasant jolt of electricity through my body.

When we finally broke off to get air, Jesse was breathing raggedly, and he seemed to be restraining himself from, you know, jumping me. Hell, I wasn't in a much better state myself. My breath was coming in irregular pants, lips swollen and hair mussed up.

"Susannah. . . We're.. in a hospital, in fact, my work-place. I think .. we should show some self restraint while we're here."

Jesse had become a doctor, finally fulfilling his long-time dream from all those years ago—a hundred and thirty years to be exact—and he worked here, at Sunshine Hospital. He'd asked my "case" to be assigned to his good friend McBridge, I guess fearing he'd somehow be biased otherwise, or something.

I grinned cheekily and gave him one last kiss before I pulled back.

"Then. . . I'll be looking forward to getting home. . ."

Jesse filled me in while we sat in his blue Honda on the way home. Turns out Paul's been wanted for the murders of several young women, all killed within the time frame of these past two weeks, only he's been operating under the name Slater R. R being ruler. Huh. Figures. Anyway, Paul passed out after some mild attack by Jesse—which he refuses to describe—and Jesse shifted us all back here, from that creepy place in this small other world. Paul's now in custody, and his trial begins tomorrow. I guess they give priority to serial killers with a penchant for carving their initials into the chests of their murder victims. . .

I know. Gross, right? I wonder what might have happened to me if it hadn't been for Jesse. . . Ugh, not a pretty sight.

We finally turned back into the driveway. I'm not usually all that emotionally inclined, but this time the sight of all those beautiful flowers blooming in the garden, the familiarity of that place.. It had me close to tears.

I hastily wiped them away and sniffed slightly. No, I was NOT going to cry.

Jesse parked the car and we went upstairs. I flopped heavily onto the king-size bed, exhaustion finally overwhelming me. Jesse seemed unusually jumpy when he came out of the toilet. His hands clutched something—at least that's what I assumed, seeing as he was hiding them behind his back and shifting nervously.

"Susannah. . . " His wet his lips with his lips and gulped, then knelt on one knee before me.

Huh? What was he doing? Then a thought popped into my mind. Marriage? Could it be. . .? I squashed that thought immediately. No use getting your hopes up, Suze.

"I love you with all my heart, and will do so forever. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" His brown eyes gazed up at me, and the hope in them touched me to the very core of my heart.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and this time, I didn't try to hide them. I smiled, tremulously.

"Of course."

Now I wasn't the only one with unshed tears. Smiling broadly, Jesse brought forth a small red box and flipped it open. A beautiful ring sat inside, a simple silver band with a small diamond set on top. Jesse slipped it onto my finger slowly, then stood up and swept me off my feet—literally—to spin me round and round the room. Happiness was making me giddy. Okay, well, maybe the spinning bit too, but I wasn't about to tell him that. He finally set me down on the bed and gently smoothed back a stray curl of hair on my forehead.

And later. . . let's just say things got really hot and heavy in that room.

That night (it had been afternoon when we got back from hospital), we went over to my parents' house for dinner. It was pot roast, my favourite of all favourites. It didn't matter that there were only so few of us, our stomachs were big, okay? We'd made the appointment some weeks back as a celebration of Brad's return from some weird training school for wrestlers back to Carmel-by-the-Sea. I wasn't all that elated about his arrival back, actually, but hey, I'm no spoilsport. We were planning on informing everyone of our engagement after the dinner.

The door opened to emit the soft glow of light. Arms reached out to hug me. "Susie!" Ugh. Not again. I hate that name; it beats me what my mum likes so much about it.

Jesse and I entered the house and I reveled in the comfort of the old house. I sometimes regretted moving out, but after all, my parents DO deserve their privacy. And, um, there're other reasons, mostly relating to _my_ privacy.

Er. . . yeah.

Doc, Dopey and Sleepy were all already present, as were my mum and Adam, my stepdad. We set right into dinner after saying grace, something I've never really related to, but has since become a habit whenever I'm over.

Set on the oaken table was mini sandwiches, fried noodles, curry and loads of other goodies. I guzzled them all down, hungry after the ordeal I'd faced at Paul's hands.

When we were all full, I ushered everyone into the living room, saying I had an announcement to make.

"Mum, Adam, Doc, Sl—uh, Jake and Brad, Jesse and I want to announce something to all of you. We've gotten engaged. Uh, we hope you don't mind but we're happy so you know we really hope you all are too and will wish us all the best rather than jinxing our marriage if you know what I mean."

I paused, gulping in a much needed gust of air.

All around me, silence ensued. Then everyone burst into simultaneous laughter. I instantly went onto the defensive.

"What! I didn't do anything wrong! I know I speak fast, but—"

I was cut off by a weird squealing noise coming from the mouth of . . . my mum? Ohmigosh. My MOTHER was squealing. Next thing I knew my ribs were being crushed as she enveloped me in a bear hug.

"Um. Thanks, mum. You can let go of me now." I somehow managed to squeeze the words past the squashed passage of my lungs and breathed in relief when she let go of me.

Everyone congratulated us, even Brad, who shook my hand, probably grudgingly admitting in his mind that maybe there _were_ people on this planet that wanted to marry me.

Later we all curled up on the sofa, mum with Adam, me with Jesse, Doc beside me, and Dopey and Sleepy on the two-seater. The night we whiled away watching a couple of old action movies that Adam had rescued from the trash some years back.

We even managed to fit some kernels of popcorn into our full stomachs. Mmm, this was good. Crunchy, with just the right amount of caramel added. One of the best traits I think Adam has? His great cooking. One of these days maybe he can make a career on television. Host a cooking show, or something.

It was midnight when we finally said our goodbyes. My mum congratulated me for the hundredth time on my engagement. She went all gaga-eyed as she stared at the ring. And then she stood on tiptoe (I was taller than her now) and whispered into my ear, "That's a fine one you got there, young lady."

And then she growled. I swear it. She probably hadn't meant me to hear, but I did, so .. So I could tell she wasn't just talking the ring, but about the _man._ Namely Jesse.

Have you ever suspected your mum was on drugs? Or maybe she was just jealous. That would explain it. Me being the one who got the final capture of the one and only big boy.

Er. That did NOT come out the way I want it to. There was absolutely no hidden meaning in that statement. Cross my heart and hope to die.

At long last, we escaped back into the relative privacy of the car. Just as I was about to enter it, my leg brushed against something small and furry. With a small yelp, I fell back, squinting in the darkness.

"What is it? Are you okay?" Jesse's voice carried over from the other side of the car.

My eyes soon adjusted to the lack of light and I bent down, smiling. Jesse moved over and knelt beside me.

When he saw that it was a cat, a sad, faraway look entered his eyes for a moment. Spike, the cat I'd found and taken in at 16, had died several months ago of a serious infection. There had been tears. Jesse's. I've never been all that fond of cats, but I'd cried, too, when I saw how sad he was.

We'd buried Spike in the backyard of my house and stuck a comical-looking makeshift gravestone to mark the spot of the burial. Till today I couldn't get over the how weird it looked, a light grey slate stuck into the ground at an angle that shifted with each passing storm.

Jesse picked the little kitten up, cradling it gently, his eyes filled with nothing but warmth now. My heart melted when I saw the tenderness and love there. Only Jesse could fall in love with something so easily. . . with the exception of me with him, maybe.

The kitten changed hands; I received it with slight apprehension, but it curled contentedly in my arms and promptly went to sleep. Jesse and I got into the car and he started it up, the engine whirring to life as he turned the ignition key.

There was an unspoken agreement that we would be taking the kitten back home to care for, for an indefinite amount of time. The ride back was brief.

As I got out of the car, the furry animal went into conscious mode and bounded out of my arms, happily padding through the front door after I opened it.

I opened the refrigerator, grabbed a carton of milk, and got a small silver dish out from among the plates that rested on the slots above the kitchen counter. I poured a small amount of milk onto the dish and retreated to let my newfound friend gulp it down. She—at least I assumed so, going by the lack of the anatomy usually found on males—did it in two seconds flat. Guess she was thirsty.

Later, Jesse and I made a direct route towards the study room. Mindy, which I had named the kitten, trooped obediently after us and laid down on the puff of pillows I had set in the corner. I grinned at Jesse.

"See? I told you she would stay. C'mon, let's get up to bed."

Jesse just smiled.

I put a hand on his back and steered him towards the bedroom. I was, quite frankly, exhausted. All I wanted to do was crawl under the covers and go to sleep.

What I hadn't counted for was for Mindy to creep into the room. She'd followed us! I groaned silently and picked her up, dumping her back onto the pillows in the study room.

I did this once, twice, thrice. . .

Finally, I gave up, mock sobbing at the thought of the loss of privacy we would experience for god knows how long. I lay back on the bed, letting out a big sigh as I did so. Beside me, Jesse opened his mouth.

I looked at him and narrowed my eyes.

"Don't even think about it, Buster."

Amusement danced in his eyes. "Admit it, you like this, don't you? It makes you feel wanted."

The teasing lilt to his voice told me he was joking, so, feeling gracious, I smiled. "Yeah. . . "

The bed sank as Mindy slunk onto the bed and curled up beside me, the warmth from her little body seeping into mine. Jesse leaned forward and kissed me, a pure, chaste kiss filled with love and affection.

The warm feeling started right at the core of my heart, slowly spreading outwards in rays to meet with the heat from Mindy's form. And right then and there, at one fifteen in the morning, laid out under the gentle glow of the crescent moon, I felt content, for the first time in my entire life.

"Good night, Susannah."

I closed my eyes, as peace as I'd never known before washed over me.

"Good night."


End file.
